RELEVANT CHILDREN'S MINISTRY

Ever had a rough day in ministry?  The kind of day that leaves you tired, discouraged and drained?

David had one of those days.  Check out what it says about this in 1 Samuel 30:6.

And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God.

Talk about a bad day!  The people David was leading decided they were going to kill him.  Imagine as a leader, listening to your team members discuss killing you by stoning.  That's enough to discourage even the best leader on the planet.

The verse said that David was "distressed."  Do you ever feel that way?  Stressed out?  Burned out?  Ready to walk away from serving in ministry?

I have and I'm thinking you have as well.  What did David do?  Notice what the verse says.  "David encouraged himself in the Lord His God."  What set David apart as a leader was the fact that he was self-propelled.  Here's the definition of self-propelled. 

"moving or able to move without external propulsion or agency"

David's ability to keep going as a leader wasn't dependent upon external forces.  His driving force was internal.  It was not controlled by external forces.  

Let's ask ourselves this question.   

Where does your motivation to continue serving come from?  What propels you forward?  What moves you upward so you can clearly see what's coming?  

If you want to be a leader that lasts, then you've got to be self-propelled.  The good news is this - it's available to you.  As you spend time with Jesus on a daily basis, He will fill your tank with "fresh oil."  You can then use that "spiritual oil" to continue moving forward.
 
On this journey, you will face opposition.  If not now....it will happen down the road. 

When  it does, will you be self-propelled?  If you need encouragement to keep going, will you find it within?  Will you be able to "encourage yourself in the Lord? 

Self-propelled.  It's the only way to last and go the distance in ministry. 

Being an effective children's ministry leader involves much more than being able to teach kids.  If you really want to succeed, here's 10 skills to focus on.

1. Time management
Children's ministry is very time consuming.  Sunday always returns and you've got to be ready.  Add to that events, volunteer management, guest follow-up and a host of other responsibilities, and you've got a full plate.

And many children's ministry leaders serve in a part-time or even volunteer role.  They are juggling a full-time job while giving as much as they can to their children's ministry role.

With this comes the necessity of managing your time well.  If you struggle in this area or want to improve, there are lots of great time management books and online resources that can help you.

2. Delegation
Your success as a children's ministry leader hinges on your ability to delegate.  Narrow what you do to the few things that will have the most impact and give away the rest.  If you don't, you will become the lid that holds the ministry back.

3. Conflict management
There will be conflict.  You can count on it.  Volunteers will have disputes, parents will get upset and ministry staff will have disagreements.  Managing these conflicts takes skill.  Most people are not naturally good at it, but the good news is it can be learned.  Read all you can about managing conflict and hone this skill.  You'll need it.

Hearing refers to the sounds that you hear, whereas listening requires more than that: it requires focus.  Listening means paying attention not only to what is said, but to how it is said as well.  In other words, it means being aware of both verbal and non-verbal messages.

5. Inspiring and motivating others
A vital skill for a children's ministry leader is being able to inspire and motivate others.  This means conveying passion for a vision and direction.  It's leading from the front.  Your team will never be more inspired or motivated than you are as the leader.  

6.  Communication
This includes not only communicating with kids, but with volunteers and parents as well.  It is essential to be able to communicate vision and direction to those on your team.  Communication skills are one of the easiest things to improve.  Ask people to give you feedback on your communication.  Video yourself, watch the tape and look for ways you can improve.

7. Leading change
It takes skill to lead change.  You must know how to prepare people for it and then lead them through it.  The ability to manage change and make it happen smoothly is a skill you will want to master.

8. Connect with parents
If you really want to influence kids, then you've got to be able to influence parents.  Be "fun" when you're with the kids, but don't become known as a "big kid' who can't connect with or relate to parents.  You must earn their respect if you want to influence them.

9. Team building
If I had to pick one skill above all else in children's ministry, it would be team building.  The success of your ministry rises and falls on your ability to build a team.  Make this your number one priority.  Master this skill and you will shine.

10. Mentoring
In addition to motivating people, it's also important to be able to help others learn, grow and become more effective.  Once you learn this skill, you will begin to develop leaders of leaders instead of just doers.  This will allow you to multiply yourself. 

The floor is yours.  What other skills do children's ministry leaders need?  Share your thoughts with us in the comment section below. 

Ready to see your children's ministry transformed?

A transformed children's ministry comes from transformational leadership.  Transformational leadership is when a leader raises team members to higher levels of motivation and effectiveness.

Transformational leaders create an inspiring vision.  An inspiring vision comes from...

• clarifying your purpose - why you do what you do
• core values that the team will be committed to
• creating a picture of what can be
• communicating the vision

Transformational leaders motivate people to buy in and own the vision.

• talk about the vision...often - remember vision leaks
• tell the stories of kids and families who are being impacted by the vision
• teamwork - show people the part they play in making the vision a reality
• thank people on the team - encourage them, praise them, appreciate them

Transformational leaders develop plans to make the vision a reality.  They take the next step and deliver the vision.

• lead through changes that need to be made
• lay out goals that will take you to the vision
• let people see your commitment and persistence to overcome difficulties and roadblocks

Tramsformational leaders build ever-stronger, trust-based relationships.

• find out your team members' personalities, love languages, developmental needs and goals 
• focus on helping them grow, meet their goals, and achieve their dreams
• feedback - create a culture where feedback is not only received, but asked for
• face-to-face, personal time with your team members
  

In conclusion...everything rises and falls on leadership.  The natural overflow of transformational leadership is a transformed children's ministry.

I just finished Marty Sklar's book "Dream It! Do It!"  Marty spent over 50 years as a creative director for Disney.

His book is filled with great insights and ideas you can use in your Children's Ministry.  This week I'm sharing them with you.  Welcome to Day 4.

More Leadership Lessons from Mickey
1. Be optimistic - if you are not positive, who else will be?

2. Courage and confidence are major cross streets on the road to success.

3. Make curiosity your search engine.

4. Learn to love your next assignment - be passionate about whatever you do.

5. Provide time to explore - but deadlines are great motivation and discipline.

6. Take time to teach - mentors are mensches.

7. Forget the politics - it's not an election!

8. Traditions are important - but change is the great dynamic.

9. Team and work are four-letter words - but together they spell "winner."

10. Remember: the last three letters of trend are E-N-D.

Join us tomorrow for more ideas and inspiration from Disney.

Children's Ministry is a marathon...not a sprint.  In a marathon, it's pretty easy to be motivated for the first mile or so.  But with each passing mile, you have to be more intentional about staying motivated.  It's in mile 18...20...23...24...25...26  that you need the most motivation.

So how do you stay motivated in Children's Ministry for the long haul?  How do you keep your passion and dedication fresh and new?

Prayer.  Nothing will keep you motivated like spending time with Jesus.  When you feel your motivation waning, (which we all do at times) get alone with Jesus.  His presence will fill your motivation tank up.

Pause.  Many times our motivation wanes due to physical or mental tiredness.  Take time to pause and rest.  Pulling away for rest will renew your motivation.  You'll come back ready to conquer the world.

Praise.  When you get discouraged, you'll find your motivation dipping.  When that happens, start praising God for His blessings.  Think about all the good things He has given you.  Dwell on the victories.  I have a folder where I keep cards, notes, letters, and stories from people God has helped through my ministry.  When I get discouraged, I pull out that folder, start reading, and begin praising God.  It doesn't take long before my motivation returns. 

Positive people.  If you want to stay motivated, surround yourself with people who are motivated.  Negative people will slowly drain your motivation.  Be kind to them, but don't spend much time with them.  Your motivation level is directly tied to the motivation level of the people you spend the most time with.

Purpose.  Your ultimate motivation must come from the purpose God has for your life.  His calling on your life is what will keep you motivated through the ups and downs...the good times and the bad times...the happy times and the sad times.  Always remember why you are doing what you are doing.  It's the call God has placed on your life.

What are some other ways you stay motivated?  Share your thoughts with us in the comment section below.